


Holly Jolly Secret

by Rohad



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Christmas Story, F/F, OfficeAU, bellow diamond - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-23
Updated: 2019-12-23
Packaged: 2021-02-26 07:47:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,765
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21920110
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rohad/pseuds/Rohad
Summary: Cause we need secret Santa AU/office AU, that's why.
Relationships: Blue Diamond/Yellow Diamond (Steven Universe)
Comments: 7
Kudos: 87





	Holly Jolly Secret

Downtown empire city was covered in a soft sheet of snow, from the street to the rooftops of the skyscrapers, everything had a sheen of white to it.

In one such building, the light from an office glared out on the darkening city, the surrounding windows going dark one at a time. 

The constant clicking and clacking of the computer keyboard was the only sound in the office as Yennefer Diamond sat hunched over the desk, typing away at the end of the year reports her mother wanted before next week's end. 

The large 29th floor office, with an entire wall of floor to ceiling windows, overlooked the entirety of Empire City and the setting sun had very nearly disappeared behind the many skyscrapers, the last tendrils of orange, pink and yellows fading into the navy blues and inky blacks of a winter night. The beautiful sky however was duly ignored by the office’s sole occupant in favor of the work in front of her, a rather common occurrence. 

It was ten till five on a Friday evening and even with her office door closed, she could still hear the racket of her employees doing anything but working, and it grated on her nerves as she went through their fiscal earnings for the last year line by agonizing line, getting more annoyed by the second as she did with the ongoing noise in the background a constant annoyance. 

Diamond industries had suffered some… losses over the course of the past year and it showed in every line of numbers she punched in, glancing occasionally at the stack of papers at her side, checking every statement and receipt. They had hardly done poorly, but not as well as last year and it irritated the thirty-two year old executive to no end as she hit the keys a little harder than necessary. 

She stopped and leaned back in her chair, heaving a sigh and pinching the bridge of her nose as she looked at the columns and lines of numbers blurring together tiredly as she thought about the next few hours she would be sitting here trying to finish these so she could move on to anything else.

A knock on her office door made her sigh heavily through her nose, just before the door opened and her personal assistant, Daisy, popped her head in, along with the now unfiltered noise of an entire office floor on a Friday evening, two weeks before Christmas and 5 minutes before punch out time. 

The dull throbbing that had begun it’s slow build over the last hour behind her eyes gave a sharp jab, making her close her eyes for a long second before opening them again, exhaustion dulled amber eyes focused on Daisy, silently prompting her to speak. 

“I have the rest of the reports you asked for, Miss Diamond.” She held up the armful of folders and Yennefer nodded, prompting the other woman to enter, closing the door behind her and shutting out the majority of the noise as she entered, but the sharpness of her headache remained, making her frown deepen. 

“Just lay them there.” She nodded to the corner of her desk, turning her tired eyes back to her computer monitor and the endless lines of numbers still waiting for her to review. The glare of the screen made another sharp stab of pain shoot through her head just behind her eyes. 

Daisy sat the folders in the empty space before holding up her tablet and reading through the itinerary for the upcoming week as was the norm on Friday, just before her PA left for the weekend. 

“You have a meeting with Ms. Diamond first thing Monday morning…” She started and Yennefer rolled her eyes. What could her mother possibly want now? They had had lunch together just this afternoon and she had made no mention of any meeting. Not that her mother neglecting to tell her things was new by any stretch of the imagination.

“What else?” She grunted, laying her chin in one hand and tapping her mouse on her screen with the other. 

“You have three phone conferences Tuesday and…” She continued while Yennefer only half listened, most of her attention still focused on the black and white spreadsheet sitting in front of her and trying to estimate how much longer this would take, while the clock on the eastern wall above her leather guest couch ticked away. 

“...provided everything stays on schedule Friday.” Daisy finished scrolling through the listed items on her tablet. 

“Good, thank you.” Yennefer nodded, not looking away from the screen and having missed most of what her assistant had been saying, as if they wouldn’t run through the itinerary again Monday morning. 

“Oh, here’s your drawing for the Christmas party secret Santa.” She dug a slip of paper out of her pocket and held it out to Yennefer. 

This did cause Yennefer to turn and look at her assistant before her gaze fell on the folded slip of paper in her outstretched hand.

“The secret Santa?” Yennefer repeated, like the words were foreign to her. 

“You signed up for it, Miss Diamond, last week?” she reminded. “After the investor meeting, they passed around the signup sheet and you told me to put it in your calendar; today was the drawing, so I brought you yours.” She still stood there holding out the little slip of festive red paper.

Yennefer clenched her jaw as she looked at the paper, vaguely recalling the signup sheet that had been passed around after the end of last week’s investor meeting, but she had been in a hurry, trying to get out as the head of imports had been heading her way when she had told Daisy to simply sign whatever it was in her stead. 

She finally took the slip of paper, not caring one bit that her assistant saw her scowling as she did. 

“That will be all, Miss Almar.” Yennefer dismissed her assistant with a huff, trying and failing at not letting her annoyance shine through. Daisy was used to it though and nodded.

“Have a good weekend, Miss Diamond.” She smiled, nasally voice exceptionally grating on Yennefer’s nerves and headache tonight as she left the office. 

Once she’d gone Yennefer looked down at the little slip of paper like it had personally wronged her. She had had no intention of participating in the gift exchange, just as she hadn’t the past five years she had worked in her mother’s company. 

She cursed herself for the momentary lapse in judgement last week for not simply doing it herself and saving herself the trouble of having to get some sort of meaningless gift for one of the many nameless workers that worked for her mother. 

She glared down at the paper as she opened it, fully expecting the name to not even ring the faintest of bells in her head. 

_‘Belle Ryan.’_

Yennefer sat bolt upright, staring down at the name written in elegant swooping script on the tiny slip of crimson paper held tightly between her fingers. 

Immediately the image of a tall, fair skinned woman with piercing blue eyes, platinum hair and a lilting Irish accent filled her mind’s eye. 

Of the two-hundred something people in the office, Yennefer had to get her, of course. She pursed her lips tightly together, staring down at the name and willing it to change into any other, but it remained the same much to her chagrin. 

She sighed heavily to herself, leaning back in her chair, the slip of paper still held loosely between her fingers. 

Now, she had to get a gift for the one woman in the office she had an untameable attraction to, ever since she’d started nine months ago. 

She groaned as she dragged a hand down her face. 

They had met at a company function nearly two years ago. Her father was a large investor in the company and she was attending the party with him. When he passed away nearly a year ago and she had inherited his stock and investments in the company, her mother had been quick to take her on board as an executive in the production sector as head of imports. 

She was quite skilled at finding product from sources willing to sell or trade. 

They had a handful of talks here and there whenever they passed each other in the halls or in meetings but Yennefer was always quick to make an excuse and get away.

With good reason.

Belle Ryan was well off, highly educated, and maybe the most beautiful woman Yennefer had ever seen, and everything about her seemed to make Yennefer’s better senses stop functioning. 

Yennefer liked to consider herself to be quite well spoken when she needed to be, but she came up blank more often than not in the Irish woman’s presence. 

Now she needed to come up with a gift for her by Thursday the twenty-third, the night of the party and their last day of work before the holiday. She looked at the desktop calendar sitting next to the monitor. It was Friday the tenth. 

In theory that was plenty of time. In reality, she had no idea what she could possibly give the other woman. She knew very little of her personally, though she might know more if she wasn’t so afraid of making a fool of herself in front of her. 

She drummed her fingers on the large oak desk, staring off into space, deep in thought, the year end reports sitting completely forgotten as she mulled over her predicament before shaking herself out of it. 

This was exactly what thinking about that woman did to her. She shook her head and sat up, concentrating on the reports in front of her once more, this was far more pressing then secret Santa presents, though, far more mind numbing. 

She didn’t allow herself to think about her coworker again until she was shutting down her computer and pulling on her coat to leave her office two hours later, long after the regular staff had gone. She carefully put the last files she needed to look at into her briefcase before leaving her office. The rest of the lights were all out in the cubicles as she walked across the room to the elevator. Everyone else had gone home hours ago.

She got on the elevator and punched the button for the ground floor. 

Not for a second noticing the other lit up floor on the panel. 

Maybe she had simply thought her name too many times or maybe the universe was playing a game with her, but sure enough the elevator stopped on the 26th floor and when the doors slid open, they revealed the very woman she had been doing her very best not to think about.

Belle Ryan was standing there in a sapphire blue pencil skirt and white button up blouse. A small blue, diamond shaped pendant on a silver chain peeked out from the neck line. Her long platinum locks were pulled up onto her head in a perfectly neat bun off her long slender neck and a laptop case was slung over her shoulder.

When those blue eyes fell on her, they lit up, mouth turning up into a soft smile and Yennefer felt herself go ridgid under that cornflower gaze.

“Good evening, Yennefer,” she said as she stepped into the elevator, the doors closing behind her. “Do you always stay this late?” she asked, clasping her hands together in front of her as the doors slid closed behind her, closing them in together for at least the next twenty-six floors. 

“I stay late more often than not, but tonight I was finishing the year end reports.” She said stiffly, looking from Belle to the much to slowly moving number on the elevator control panel. “Usually I’m the last to leave. Though apparently, not tonight.” she said, trying to ignore the nerves humming just beneath her skin.

“Ah, yes, I try to leave at five myself but as you said, there are a lot of year end things to be done.” She once again aimed that beautiful smile at her and Yennefer tried not to fidget under her attention as they moved ever closer to the ground floor. Yennefer just hummed an agreement. 

“I didn’t see you at the thanksgiving dinner the company threw. Will you be attending the christmas party? I’ve been told Whitney spares no expense,” she said.

“If my mother enjoys anything, it's an elaborate party, and yes, I’ll be there,” she nodded.

They traveled a few more floors in silence and Yennefer could feel herself getting antsy in the small quiet space, shifting her weight back and forth on the balls of her feet. 

“Have you eaten yet?” Belle suddenly asked. “I was going to grab something from the Thai place across the street if you’d like to join me?” 

She asked just as they hit the ground floor and the doors slid open to the lobby.

“Thank you, but I really need to hurry home.” Her mouth was moving before she even had time to think about what she was sas saying. Belle looked disappointed and it was like a sucker punch to the gut that a face like hers should ever be anything but happy. 

“Oh, of course, have a good weekend, Yennefer.” Belle nodded, her smile not as bright as before as she walked out of the elevator and through the pristine lobby toward the front doors, her black heels clicking across the polished white marble floor. 

Yennefer stood there watching her go long enough for the doors to slide shut again, her reflection stared back at her in the highly polished metal and she cursed herself. 

“Why did you say no?” She couldn’t help but ask her reflection with a scowl;predictably, there was no answer. She ran her free hand through her short blonde hair tiredly and sighed before hitting the button again, a little harder than necessary, and the doors once again opened up to the lobby. It was empty, save for the couches and chairs. Even the receptionist desk stood empty. 

She grumbled to herself as she headed for the exit, the only sound being the clicking of her own heels on the marble as she left the building.

The cold hit her in the face the moment she stepped out the front doors. The sting of winter winds biting at her nose and ears as she walked towards the parking garage at the side of the building. Luckily, her reserved spot was close to the entrance. She pulled the coat tighter around her, regardless. 

She let herself glance across the street to the Thai restaurant, it’s red neon open sign blinking a greeting. She hesitated a second before she scoffed at herself again as she turned away toward the parking garage. How foolish would she look to go over there now after saying she needed to get home? She had shot herself in the foot on this one. 

She quickly left the office and restaurant behind as she climbed into her car. 

She had a lot to do before her meeting with her mother on Monday morning and she wanted to spend as little time thinking about it as possible. 

~ ~ ~ ~

Monday morning Yennefer sat in her office, clicking through her emails and sipping on her coffee. 

It was only seven thirty, the majority of the office, including her assistant, wouldn't be in for another half hour. This was her quiet time of the day. The still mornings before everyone came in, when she could work in peace and solitude, even if only for a little while. 

Her phone buzzed, rattling across the polished wood surface of her desk. She glanced at the notification over the top of her coffee mug. 

_‘Rosie’_

She sat the cup down and picked up the phone. What could her sister possibly want at this hour of the morning?

She pressed a finger to the sensor on the back, opening the message. A picture of a toddler with curly black hair in a high chair and his nose turned up at a tiny, red plastic bowl of oatmeal greeted her. She couldn’t stop her lips from curling up even if she wanted to at the sight of the boy. 

Three bubbles popped up and she waited only a second before the message came up.

 _“This is your fault!”_

Yennefer snorted at the message, looking back at the picture of her three year old nephew before typing out a quick reply. 

“I can hardly be blamed for your poor cooking skills.” She typed back.

The bubbles popped up before she could even take her finger off the keyboard. 

She set the phone down, ignoring the buzzing that immediately followed her text with a grin, she took another long sip of her coffee as her phone buzzed several times. Only when it finally went silent for more than a full minute did she pick it up.

 _“There is nothing wrong with my cooking, you jerk!”_ Yennefer snorted at that. 

_“Ever since you made him your oatmeal, he won’t eat mine! What are you putting in it?_

_“Can Steven and I stay at your place next week for Christmas?”_ That did give Yennefer pause.

“Where’s your husband?” She questioned.

_“Greg has to work so it’s just going to be me and your favorite nephew! Please?”_

Yennefer pursed her lips. Her penthouse was hardly child proof, though more so than their mother’s luxury house, not that Rosie would stay there if she could help it. Things were still tense between Whitney and her youngest child, understandably. 

When your mother is overbearing and controlling and your sister runs off and elopes, getting pregnant; family functions and holidays are a little tense. 

Yennefer sighed and took another slug of her coffee as she typed a response.

“If you must.” 

Instantly the bubbles indicating her sister’s incoming message popped up.

 _“Thank you! See you next Tuesday!”_

Yennefer rolled her eyes as she sat the phone back on the wireless charger sitting next to her keyboard. 

Suddenly there was a knock on her door and she glanced at the clock- ten till eight. Her assistant was early, even for her. 

“Come in,” she said, turning back to her screen and lifting her mug to her lips. 

“Good morning, Yennefer.” Belle was standing in her doorway and Yennefer sucked in a breath, inhaling a mouth full of coffee in the process. 

She choked, coughing and sputtering on the warm liquid in her lungs, tears in her eyes as she tried to breath.

A hand was patting her back, helping expel the coffee from her airways.

A full minute of hacking later she was finally breathing again, Belle at her side, hand still resting on her back as she composed herself. 

“Are you alright?” She looked incredibly concerned as she peered down at the blonde. 

“Fine. I’m fine.” Yennefer rushed to assure her, voice still raspy as she tried to regain control of her breathing. 

“I’m sorry, did I startle you?” she asked, stepping back as Yennefer stood, trying valiantly to compose herself in front of the executive importer. 

“No, no...I swallowed wrong is all.” She pulled the handkerchief from the pocket of her ochre colored blazer and wiped the water from her eyes with as much dignity as she could muster; which didn’t feel like much at this moment. “I’m just surprised to see you, or anyone here this early…” she managed. 

“You’re here, and, from the looks of it, have been for some time,” Belle observed, glancing at the desk, coffee mostly gone and several folders already sitting open on its surface. 

“Yes, well. I usually come in early to get a head start on my work. There’s always something more to do…” she trailed off, brushing imaginary dust from the front of her blazer if only for something to do with her hands. 

“You are the VP of finance,” Belle agreed with a smile that made the back of Yennefer's neck grow hot.

“Did you need something from me?” she asked, settling on folding her hands behind her back to keep them still. 

“Oh! Yes, I nearly forgot.” She held a hand to her mouth and chuckled to herself. “I was wondering if you knew what the meeting this morning was about?” she asked.

“The meeting?” Yennefer repeated, blinking. 

“Yes, with Whitney? The email I received Friday evening didn’t say, just that I was supposed to meet with you and Whitney ” Belle looked at her curiously. 

Oh, right. Her meeting with her mother that Daisy had told her about Friday before she’d left. 

A meeting she had not been informed of by the CEO; nor that it would include the head of imports. She felt herself grow prickly by the perceived slight from her mother all over again. 

“I haven’t the slightest idea myself,” she admitted, glancing at the clock; five till. “The meeting starts in a few minutes so we may as well go and find out.” She nodded toward the clock on the wall.

“Oh, yes, I guess we should,” she nodded as they walked out of the office. Yennefer surreptitiously checking her reflection in the mirror to the left of the door as she followed Belle out of her office, shutting the door behind her. 

A few people were starting to trickle into the office from the elevator and they were quick to move out their bosses way as she got on the lift with Belle and hit the button for the top floor. 

The quiet of the elevator was oppressive to Yennefer, though she wasn’t sure she was grateful or not that it wasn’t to last. 

“How was your weekend?” Belle looked at her as the elevator began to move upwards. Even with both of them in heels, the blonde was still a couple inches taller. 

“It was fine, yours?” she asked back conversationally. 

“Quiet, but nice, I spent most of it practicing.” 

“Practicing?” Yennefer couldn’t help but ask curiously.

“Yes, on my piano. I don’t get to it as much as I would like these days. It’s nice to sit and play to relax.” She folded her hands in front of her, against the green and blue plaid skirt she was wearing today. 

“I didn’t know you played…” 

“Since I was a little girl.” She smiled, seeming to light up under the line of questions, to which Yennefer was quick to take note. 

“What kind of music do you play?” 

Before she could answer the elevator dinged and the doors slid open to the thirtieth floor.

The room just outside the elevators opened up to a large pristine white carpeted waiting room.

The eggshell colored walls in combination with the carpet always made Yennefer uncomfortable with it’s sterile atmosphere. Belle seemed equally uncomfortable in the room.

Her own floor of the building was decorated in soft blues, grays and whites that Yennefer always thought had a nice calming effect whenever she had to go down to the twenty-sixth floor, though she preferred her own floor with it’s rich brown wooden flooring and light yellow painted walls. 

They crossed the waiting area with it’s stainless steel table and the black leather upholstered chairs situated around it, moving toward the desk sitting just outside the doors to her mother’s office. 

The woman behind the desk, even with the black eyepatch that covered her left eye, in her pink floral patterned skirt and white blouse was perhaps the most colorful thing in the entire room. 

Poppy Spears, her mother’s PA, smiled at them as they approached.

“Ms. Diamond is waiting for you; go ahead.” She gestured to the door and Yennefer just grunted in affirmation, Belle following behind her. 

The office was decorated in a similar fashion to the waiting room. Tones of black and white, though with a few more personal touches. Some expensive paintings in abstract hung from the walls, the harsh pops of reds in them the only hints of color to be found. 

She was not surprised to find her mother sitting behind her large desk, already looking at something on her computer screen. Coal black eyes looked up when the door opened and she smiled, accentuating the lines at the corners of her eyes and mouth, despite the heavily applied makeup, revealing two rows of ivory white teeth.

“Ah, Yennefer, Miss Ryan, do come in; have a seat.” She gestured to the plush black leather chairs sitting in front of her desk. 

Yennefer sat in one of the chairs, arms immediately folding across her chest; still less than pleased about this surprise meeting that she hadn’t the faintest idea of the point of.

“I’m sure you’re both wondering why I’ve called you in so let’s get straight to the point,” her mother began without preamble. “Very recently I was brought to the attention of some assets up for sale in Delmarva. However, before we acquire them for the company, I need them to be assessed by the both of you.” 

“Why us?” Belle asked before Yennefer could, though the one hiked blonde eyebrow spoke loudly enough of her question to the ageing CEO. 

“The acquisition in question is a business that imports precious minerals and jewels called Mica Incorporated,” she explained, folding her hands atop her desk. “You are the head of imports and acquisitions, Miss Ryan; you know best what’s worth keeping or not. I need you to go over what they’re taking in and what we want to keep when we buy them,” she explained. 

“Of course,” Belle nodded. 

“You want me to go over their books…” Yennefer said. It wasn’t a question. Whitney smiled at her eldest.

“Of course. Your flight leaves at five am tomorrow.” she informed.

“Tomorrow?” Yennefer shot upright in her seat.

“That is rather short notice,” Belle intoned. Whitney just nodded to both of them.

“Yes, I know, but it has to be all closed out before the holidays, so it is a rush job, I’m afraid,” she admitted. “The flight and hotel have already been booked; you’ll come back Wednesday afternoon. Your assistants have all the information you need.” 

With a glance at each other, they both stood from their seats at the obvious dismissal and made their way out of the office. 

Inside, Yennefer was fuming. It was one thing to have to do this, she had done similar jobs before, but the lack or warning was what really grated on her nerves. Her mother had obviously known about this since at least Friday afternoon, since her assistant had been told, yet hadn’t made any mention of it all weekend. Not that they had talked at all over the weekend. 

The fact that she had not deigned to inform her earlier, as opposed to springing it on her the morning before, was maddening.

She did not stomp, but her footfalls were considerably heavier than they had been on the way in as they made their way past Poppy to the elevator. The PA only smiled at their retreating figures, more than used to people leaving the office in a sour disposition, Yennefer especially. 

She smashed the button to her floor as she got on, crossing her arms over her chest. She very nearly forgot about Belle standing next to her till she reached out to press the button for her own floor; she turned to her once the doors had slid closed.

“I live on the other side of town, by the river. You probably live closer to the airport, don't you?” she asked. Yennefer nodded, glancing over to see the other woman playing with the blue pendant hanging from her neck. 

“Yes, near the park,” she confirmed, trying not to growl, her fingers tapping agitatedly against her arm.

“Since it’s on the way would you like me to pick you up in the morning?” She looked up at the blonde and all the boiling anger that had been simmering in Yennefer’s gut seemed to vanish, watered down by the baby blues looking up at her. 

“That’s… very kind of you, yes,” she finally managed to spit out. 

“I’ll be there at three?” she asked and Yennefer only managed to nod, just as the elevator dinged and the doors slid open on her floor and she stepped out. 

“Great, just send the address to my assistant, I’ll see you in the morning.” She smiled and Yennefer only managed to nod before the doors slid shut, moving down toward the twenty-sixth floor, leaving her to stare at her distorted reflection in the metal doors.

“Miss Diamond?” 

Yennefer jumped, whirling around to find Daisy standing there, her tablet held in front of her.

“I have your flight and hotel information, shall I email it to you?” she asked, looking down at the tablet screen before looking back up at her.

And just like that, the cooling embers of her anger burst back into flames. 

“Yes,” she ground out, stomping across the floor to her office, Daisy on her heels, tapping at her tablet screen. 

Yennefer felt her phone buzz in her pocket, signaling the arrival of the email, followed by another. 

Entering her office she made a beeline for her computer and opened up the two emails; one a confirmation of her flight and hotel accommodations that she only briefly glanced over before opening the other, detailed information about the business and the location of its head office. 

She saved the address into her phone and looked up at the clock. Eight-thirty. She looked over the last few things she needed to do and decided. 

“Daisy…” Her PA was quick to jump to attention at the call of her name. “I’m leaving at noon so I can get things together before tomorrow morning. Move anything pertinent I need to do today too before then or reschedule it,” she commanded, eyes already trained on something on her screen.

“Of course.” She nodded, already swiping away at the tablet screen. 

Yennefer went to close the email but caught sight of the ‘To:’ box where she and Belle had both been tagged in the email and paused, fingers hovering over the keyboard.

“Daisy, please send my home address to Miss Ryan’s assistant.” she said after a moment before resuming her work. 

She could see her assistant out of the corner of her eye, looking at her curiously before nodding to herself and turning back to her tablet, fingers flying across the screen as she worked to complete her tasks. 

With that out of the way, she was able to turn fully back to her work without distraction. One phone conference, several very long individual calls, and thirty emails later, and she was shutting down her computer and heading out with Daisy at her heels, taking quick notes as they walked.

“If anything urgent comes up, call me and I’ll take care of it,” she instructed, snapping her briefcase closed as she waited for the elevator.

“Of course.” Daisy nodded, still tapping away at the screen.

The elevator doors opened with a ding and she stepped inside, turning to face her assistant. 

“Take the rest of the day off,” she said, pressing the button for the ground floor.

“Thank You, Miss Diamond. Have a nice trip,” she trilled as the doors slid shut, leaving the VP alone in the quiet elevator. 

“I doubt it,” she grumbled to herself as the elevator moved downward. 

~ ~ ~ ~

Yennefer yawned as she sat at her kitchen table, taking long sips of the black coffee in her cup. Her bag was packed and sitting next to the front door, along with her laptop case. 

Her phone sat silent and dark on the table as it usually did at three fifteen in the morning.

She ran her hand through her slightly damp hair, still coming around, even after the near boiling shower. 

If nothing else, she was glad she didn’t have to get herself to the airport. She would need to think of some way to show Belle her thanks.

Which reminded her. 

She still had to get her a gift for the secret Santa; she cursed to herself. 

She still had lots of time and perhaps she would learn something useful that would give her even the faintest idea of what she could give her. 

True, if it had been anyone else, she would have just picked up a gift card of some kind and called it a day, but that wasn't going to earn her any points with the executive importer she was sure.

She sat contemplating it and sipping her coffee when her phone lit up, the vibration making it rattle across the table.

She picked it up, squinting at the bright screen. 

Instead of a name there was an unknown number and a single line of text. 

_"I'm parked out front."_

It took her a second before she realized with a jolt who it had to be and jumped up, setting the empty coffee cup in the sink before pulling on her leather long coat and picking up her bags, leaving her apartment and locking the door behind her.

Outside, her apartment building was cold and dark, save for the Christmas lights that decorated some of the buildings and trees, and the headlights of a single silver car parked at the curb idle-ing.

When she stepped out onto the street from the lobby, the driver side door opened and Belle climbed out. Her hair was down, laying in silky curtain of white against the back of her deep blue peacoat and it gave Yennefer pause before the biting cold forced her to keep moving toward the car. 

“Good morning.” Belle greeted her with a smile warm, enough to chase away some of winter’s bite as she popped the trunk. 

“G’morning…” she mumbled, as she stuck her bag in the trunk, her hot breath coming out in wispy clouds around her head. She walked quickly to the passenger side and climbed inside. Her ears and hands burned as the hot air coming out of the heater hit her cold skin.

The very next thing that hit her was the subtle scent of lavender and something else she couldn’t quite put her finger on. 

Belle climbed into the driver's seat and once the door had shut, Yennefer realized the pleasing and delicate floral scent was coming from her.

A chill ran up her spine but not from the lingering cold. Clearing her throat she looked at Belle as they pulled away from the curb and toward the airport.

“Thank you; for picking me up.” she clarified. 

Belle glanced at her, smiling before turning her eyes back to the road.

“Of course. I was happy too,” she said before turning her full attention back on the road. 

Yennefer wanted to say something, anything really, but she came up blank and rather then make a fool of herself, she stayed quiet for the rest of the ride, looking out the passenger window.

Arriving at the airport was a hustle of checking in and waiting in lines that stretched on forever, thanks to the jolly time of year. 

Finally, after what felt like a lifetime, they were seated comfortably next to each other in first class. 

She pulled off her coat and glanced to her side where Belle had pulled out a book. She wanted to say something but she seemed rather concentrated on the literature, so, with a silent sigh, she leant back and closed her eyes, determined to sleep through the flight. 

Which she did.

She didn’t open her eyes again until they had landed and Belle was gently nudging her awake.

They were able to get their bags quickly and get out to the rental car waiting for them.

“Do you mind if I drive?” Yennefer asked distractedly as she looked at the address for their hotel on her phone. 

“Not at all,” Belle answered as she set her bags in the trunk. Yennefer nodded as she set her own things next to hers before climbing into the driver’s seat. 

“It should be close by…” she mumbled more to herself than anything.

‘We aren’t expected at Mica till eleven,” Belle said. 

Yennefer looked at the clock on the dash blinking nine-fifteen at her. They did have time. She hummed in agreement, tapping her fingers against the steering wheel and glancing at the GPS on the phone as she followed the road to the hotel.

She wasn’t at all surprised by the scale of the building when she pulled into the parking lot. Her mother never settled, even if only for one night. The parking lot had been shoveled but everything around was covered in several inches of snow. Lights of red and green, as well as wreaths decorated the front of the building. 

They gathered up their bags and headed inside, which was just as lavish as Yennefer had predicted. The lobby was pristine, and reminded her too much of her mother’s office. 

“Good morning Ma’am. Name?” the man behind the counter greeted.

“Diamond.” she told him simply as he turned to his computer typing something before nodding.

“Here it is,” he said, typing a few more things and handing over two key cards.

“I’ll only need one.” She tried to hand back the second but he held up a hand.

“No Ma’am, the other is for your companion. Miss ...” He glanced at the screen before turning back to her. “...Ryan.”

“We only have one room?” Belle asked, stepping forward as Yennefer went silent. 

“Yes, I’m sorry Ma’am, but when the reservation was made it was the only room available for the night, everything else in the city has been booked due to the time of year,” he informed them, looking apologetic.” 

Yennefer’s jaw clenched and she could feel the words about to erupt from her mouth when they were silenced before they could even start.

“That’s alright, we’ll make do for one night, right?” Belle smiled at the relieved looking desk clerk before looking over at her, and all the vitriol gathering on the end of her tongue vanished in a puff of smoke. Left with no other options she just nodded and held out the second key card to Belle, trying not to look as disgruntled as she felt.

“Breakfast is still being served in the dining room. Enjoy your stay, ladies,” The clerk smiled as they walked toward the elevator. 

Yennefer huffed inside as they got on and hit the button for the third floor.

“I hadn’t even thought about how booked up all the hotels would be,” Belle hummed.

“Tch, all they could have had left is a cot in a closet and my mother still would have insisted we come,” she grouched, unprepared for when her companion giggled. 

“We’re lucky they at least had one room then,” she grinned and it took all Yennefer had to look away. She stuffed her hands in the pockets of her leather coat and nodded, unable to stop the twitch of her lips which Belle seemed to notice, if the widening of her grin was anything to go by. 

The doors opened on the third floor and they quickly found the room in question. Belle opened the door and walked in, flicking on the light but she stopped suddenly, Yennefer nearly running into her.

“What is it?” she asked.

“Oh, no, nothing.” she assured quickly, moving into the room properly and allowing Yennefer in; she stopped herself.

Situated in the center of the room was one queen sized bed. Not the two fulls she had expected.

 _‘You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,’_ she thought to herself.

She glanced at Belle, who was unpacking her one bag and putting her clothes in the second drawer, but was glancing at Yennefer in the reflection of the vanity situated atop the dresser, waiting for her reaction.

Yennefer’s hands clenched. There were no other rooms to be had and she didn’t want to make this any more awkward than it already was by having a fit about it when it certainly wouldn’t help the situation or put either one of them anymore at ease. 

She exhaled heavily through her nose and moved to set her bag on the bed before taking a deep breath. 

“Do… you have a preference for side?” She couldn’t believe she was asking. 

“Oh…” Belle looked at her in the mirror’s reflection and Yennefer thought just maybe her cheeks were a little pink but they had just come in from outside. “Closest to the wall?” she said, uncertainly and Yennefer nodded, setting her laptop case on the bedside table. She preferred to sleep on the outside edge anyway. 

Belle disappeared into the bathroom and she took the opportunity to put her clothes in the top drawer she had left empty for her. 

She grumbled to herself while she did. 

Of all the people she had to go on this trip with and then end up sharing not only a room but a bed! It, of course, had to be the most attractive woman in the office. 

She snorted to herself; it could have been worse, she supposed- it could have been a man or her mother. She grimaced at the thought, just as Belle reappeared.

“Would you like to go down and have breakfast?” she asked.

Yennefer glanced at her watch. It was only ten.

“Sure,” she nodded. Anything so that she didn't have to stand here, awkwardly pretending she was fine with sharing a bed with a woman she could hardly talk to most days.

The food set out downstairs was the usual continental breakfast and there was no telling how long it had been sitting there, so Yennefer grabbed a bagel and an orange from the fruit stand before finding an empty table in the back corner.

Belle sat down across from her with a bowl of the hotel’s oatmeal and Yennefer couldn't help but make a face that was immediately noticed.

"What?" Belle questioned, head tilted at the look being leveled on her breakfast.

"Hmm?" Yennefer looked up, amber meeting blue and flushed, realizing Belle had noticed her looking at the bowl of vile, mushy oats. "Oh, no nothing." She took a bite of her bagel to avoid saying anything else.

"You're just glaring at my breakfast for no reason?" The tone was more than a little amused and Yennefer's neck burned as she chewed on the bagel.

"I didn't… mean anything, I just have an aversion to most oatmeal. I got food poisoning from it once as a child," she informed.

"Oh, I see," Belle said.

"Mhmm," Yennefer nodded. "I have my own recipe which is the only kind I or my nephew will eat." She couldn't help the twitch of her mouth, thinking of the other morning when Rosie had sent her that photo of Steven refusing her oatmeal as she picked up her coffee cup.

"Your nephew?" Belle questioned wide eyes. "I didn't know you had any siblings. Do they work at Diamond industry?"

Yennefer snorted into her coffee cup.

"No." she stated flatly. "My sister and mother have a… let's say, tenuous relationship," she mumbled the last part.

"What about your nephew?” she asked before spooning some of the oatmeal into her mouth, but all her attention was on Yennefer. 

“Steven? He’s very musical and intelligent for his age, he’s going to do great things.” She nodded to herself; she was certain of it.

“I think that’s the nicest thing I’ve ever heard you say about anyone; you seem very fond of him.” Belle smiled teasingly and the heat that had receded from Yennefer’s neck was back full force. “Do you have a picture?” She leaned forward eagerly.

She pulled her phone from her pocket, and flicked through it a few times before coming to a picture of Rosie holding Steven on the beach last summer when she had taken a rare week off to go with them, coincidentally that had been the week she’d fed Steven her oatmeal one morning and he wouldn’t touch any other since. 

She handed the device to Belle who cooed at the little curly haired boy and Yennefer couldn’t help but grin.

“He’s adorable,” she murmured. “Is that your sister?” she asked looking at the younger woman with bright pink dyed hair, though it was curly, just like the little boy’s. Yennefer nodded, peeling her orange. “I would have never guessed,” she said, handing the phone back.

“We have different fathers,” she shrugged. “Rosie is eight years my junior,” she said. popping a peeled slice into her mouth.

Belle sat there eating her oatmeal and trying to wrap her head around two different men being interested in the curt and exacting Whitney Diamond, and had a hard time wrapping her mind around it as they finished their breakfast and headed for the office.

~ ~ ~

Belle did not see Yennefer again until almost five o’clock that afternoon. She didn’t have too much trouble sorting through the company's inventory and current trade contracts but one look at Yennefer when she got off the elevator to the lobby said that her counterpart had not had as easy a time.

“Are you alright?” Belle asked as they walked out of the building toward their rental. The VP was hunched over, face set in a deep scowl.

“A monkey could keep better books!” She dropped her laptop case into the back seat, trying not to slam the door and not really succeeding. Belle winced at the bang.

“I spent the entire day just sorting out the mess,” she growled, plopping down into the driver’s seat. 

“Is there no way to turn it around and make it profitable? The state of their inventory and their contracts are good.” 

“Oh, it will be profitable. I have everything sorted out now and I've put together an offer my mother has approved, I just needed to know what your assessment was before putting it to the owner tomorrow. Everything is set, whether or not he accepts the offer before he goes broke will be up to him.” she grumbled, starting the car.

They drove in silence for several minutes, Yennefer still too annoyed with her day to have time to feel awkward. All that time spent trying to make sense of their accounting had left her with a dull throbbing headache. 

“Do you want to get dinner before we head back to the hotel?” Belle suddenly piped up as they drove past a row of restaurants. 

“Sure,” she grunted. 

They ended up in a booth in the back of an Italian place near their hotel. 

“Outside of time spent in meetings, I think this is the most we’ve ever interacted before,” Belle suddenly said once the waiter had walked away and Yennefer looked up at her, garlic bread in her mouth. She finished biting it and and chewed, trying to figure out what she was supposed to say in response to that.

You make me nervous, so I try to avoid you most days? 

That would go over about as well as it sounded. 

She was saved from having to come up with an answer when she went on.

“What do you do for fun, Yennefer?” she asked and she fidgeted a little under the intense blue eyes looking at her.

“I don’t usually have much free time with all my work… but when time allows, I enjoy theater,” she finally said after a moment of thinking. 

“What kind of theater?” Belle looked genuinely interested and it made Yennefer’s nerves settle a little.

“Musicals, mostly. I used to do do some performing in college,” she admitted. 

“You sing?” Her eyes shot open at that and Yennefer could feel her face warming.

“Not anymore.” She concentrated on the bread in front of her.

“Whyever did you stop?” she couldn’t help but ask, though it didn’t occur to her until after the words had left her mouth that that might have been prying, “Oh, maybe that’s too personal?”

Yennefer just shrugged.

“Between my major in business and minor in finance there wasn’t any time for long rehearsals and show nights.” Yennefer pursed her lips, remembering exactly when her grades had took a slight dip during the production of ‘War paint’ with it’s long hours that had taken time from her studying, and her mother had been beside herself that her ‘little hobby’ was affecting her school work.

It was easier to quit then deal with all of that. As much as she’d hated to.

“Ah, I’m sorry,” Belle frowned, having watched the dark mood that had settled over her companion for a brief moment but decided against asking about it. “I’m rather fond of musicals myself. I double majored in music and business actually, though the second only at my father’s insistence. He had many ventures and since I was an only child someone had to manage them.” She gave a little shrug. 

“That’s very impressive,” Yennefer commented and was fascinated by the slightest of pink hues that dusted across her companion’s fair complexion.

“Thank you,” she said it almost bashfully, looking at Yennefer from beneath her lashes and immediately Yennefer only wanted to set her at ease, despite the rigidness of her own spine.

“Have you seen any shows lately?” she asked. It was the only thing that came to mind. 

“I haven’t, I wanted to see the production ‘Rent’ downtown next month but they’ve already sold out every showing.” She pouted and against her better judgment Yennefer couldn’t stop herself from thinking how cute it was. 

“It’s always popular,” she agreed, just as the waiter was setting their food down in front of them, though that didn’t stop Belle from talking about the shows she’d seen in the past and the more she talked, the more at ease Yennefer felt herself becoming. 

They talked the entire meal about theater and music. 

She had even managed to forget all about their sleeping arrangements till they got back to the hotel and she was faced with the impending reality that for the first time in longer than she cared to admit, she would be sharing a bed with someone. 

By half past nine it seemed there would be no more stalling and she picked up her night clothes and went into the bathroom to change. 

Once she was dressed in the yellow cotton shorts and tank top that served as her sleeping clothes, she looked hard at herself in the mirror.

“This is fine. It’s not weird; this is a business trip. Just go to sleep,” she mumbled to herself before leaving the bathroom. 

Belle looked up at her when she came out, and she was working so hard not to make eye contact that she didn’t notice the much longer than necessary look over the Irish woman was giving her before picking something up off the bed and heading into the bathroom. 

With a sigh of relief, Yennefer climbed under the blankets and scrolled through her phone messages to find she had an unread text from her sister.

 _“I talked to mom… she wants Steven and I to come to the company party Thursday, I’m only coming early if I can still stay with you. I didn’t tell her that though, I know she’d put the squeeze on you.”_

Yennefer snorted- that was an understatement. On the one hand that was five more days with her sister, and while they got along much better than Rosie and their mother, they still didn’t see eye to eye that often.

On the other hand, that was five more days with Steven, which was ultimately the clencher. 

“Fine,” was her to the point reply. 

It was just as she hit send that the bathroom door open and she looked up on instinct, and immediately wished she hadn’t.

While she would be hard pressed to call that off the shoulder, baby blue nightgown that stopped more than halfway up Belle’s thighs transparent, it’s paper thin looking fabric certainly wasn’t as opaque or long, as she wished it was. 

Her face burned scarlet and she could feel it. Amber eyes locked with blue for a moment that felt much too long just as her phone buzzed and she jerked to look at the screen, to look at anything but the barely clothed woman in front of her.

_“You’re the best, Yen!”_

She pursed her lips and set the device on the nightstand. She wasn’t sure she was the best at anything right now, while she carefully avoided looking in Belle’s direction as she felt the bed shift while she climbed under the sheets.

She took a deep breath and glanced at Belle who’s eyes seemed to dart away when she looked her way, making her tense up even more. 

Her skin felt itchy and hot, tingling in an unpleasant way. She cleared her throat, still not looking at her companion though she swore she could feel those powder blue eyes burning a hole in her.

“Goodnight,” she said simply, as she reached over and flicked off the bedside table lamp and laid down, facing away from Belle.

“Goodnight” was echoed back to her before the other light went out, casting the room in darkness and quiet.

Her face was still burning, the image of that nightgown was seared into her memory as though with a hot iron. 

She wasn’t sure she’d ever be able to look Belle in the eye at a meeting ever again. 

She felt the brush of skin against one of her legs and electricity jolted through her from the point of contact all the way to her fingertips.

“Sorry” came the quiet apology from in the darkness.

“It’s fine,” she lied. She was anything but fine at the moment as she carefully scooted closer to the edge.

She tried to stay as still as possible even as she felt Belle move around, neither of them touching again. She was practically hanging off the edge of the mattress, least she brush up against her and cause another flash of intense heat to shoot through her nerves. 

Maybe her therapist was right, she thought idley. Maybe she was touch starved. 

She tried to relax, but doing her best to be as still as stone ran counter productive to that goal.

It was tense for a while as they both settled, eventually all movement on the other side of the bed ceased.

She laid there for a long while, eyes clenched shut and trying to fall asleep while being perfectly still, when a sudden sound made her eyes pop open, looking out into the darkness, her ears strained for whatever it was she’d heard.

It was a low rumbling noise, coming from just over her shoulder.

With an amused snort she realized what she was hearing was Belle.

Snoring.

She listened to the sound, without realizing that she was slowly relaxing to the rhythmic sound of Belle’s breathing, and was drifting off.

The next thing she knew she was waking up, the grogginess of sleep slowly ebbing away as she peeled open her eyes. 

The room was still dark and quiet, only the sound of the heater running broke the otherwise quiet stillness in the room.

She looked at the clock sitting on the table, squinting at the numbers.

Five forty-five glared back at her in neon red. Here alarm wasn’t even due to go off for another fifteen minutes. Not that she would be able to go back to sleep now. 

That extra time would give her time for an extra long shower and get woken up before breakfast. 

She started to sit up when something pressing tightly against her back gave her pause.

A quiet mumble against her shoulder made her seize up as she realized that Belle had shifted in her sleep and was now pressed firmly against her back. 

_‘Of course’._

She could feel every bit of the other woman’s body heat radiating through the gossamer thin nightgown right into her back, not to mention every dip and curve of her body; and every breath she took, still snoring quietly. 

Yennefer began to sweat, nerves on fire; she needed out. 

Moving as slowly and carefully as she ever had, Yennefer slid out of the bed without disturbing Belle, who curled up into the warm empty space she left. She breathed a sigh of relief.

She needed a shower.

Moving carefully through the dark room she entered the bathroom and closed the door quietly behind her before flicking on the blinding light.

She quickly grew accustomed to it as she turned on the shower as hot as it would go. 

To her disappointment it wasn’t near as hot as her shower at home, but it would make do.

Once her muscles started to unclench, she found herself humming a Christmas song that had been playing on the radio on the drive back to the hotel from dinner. The humming turned to singing. 

The words began quiet, mumbles under her breath as she washed her hair, but grew into a loud sound reverberated off the smooth tile walls until she shut off the water and climbed out. 

She’d never admit that singing in the shower was a daily occurrence. She dried off quickly and dressed before opening the bathroom door. 

She was surprised to find the room lights on and Belle, still in her nightgown, and putting some things in her bag. It was only now Yennefer noticed that she was still wearing the small diamond shaped necklace; she must have slept in it. She looked like she had been up a while and she wondered if she had woken her up after getting out of bed… and if she had heard her singing. 

She looked up when Yennefer came out of the bathroom and smiled.

“Morning.” She smiled and Yennefer returned the greeting. “Are you done in there?” She gestured to the bathroom and Yennefer nodded, still rubbing the towel through her damp hair. 

She supposed Belle hadn’t been able to hear her.

She gathered up her clothes and a towel before walking toward the bathroom. She glanced at Yennefer just as she passed by on her way into the bathroom.

“You sing beautifully.” Belle grinned just as she closed the bathroom door, leaving Yennefer standing alone and red faced in the middle of the room.

~ ~ ~

Despite the rough start to her morning, the rest of the day went much smoother than the day before. She presented the buy-out to the short, bald CEO who hemmed and hawed a while at the number before Yennefer threatened to withdraw the offer altogether.

He signed the papers soon after, which she quickly faxed to her mother to sign, placing the originals carefully in her briefcase. 

With business done, they were both eager to return home. 

The flight back was spent sleeping. She was going to need all her energy for her sister and nephew in the coming days. 

She and Belle spoke little until she was dropping the blonde off in front of her apartment building. It seemed it had snowed again while she was gone, as piles of fluffy white stuff covered every surface save for the freshly shoveled walk. It certainly made it feel more like Christmas. Steven would be beside himself with the snow at the park.

She walked around the car, bag in hand as the driver side window rolled down.

“Have a good evening, Belle.”

“I'll see you tomorrow,” she smiled before the window rolled up and she was pulling away.

Yennefer quickly made her way up to her floor; she had child proofing to do and a phone call to make to a friend that owed her a favor.

~ ~ ~ 

She in fact didn’t see Belle on Thursday nor Friday, she actually didn’t see her again until the next Thursday, at the company’s Christmas party. 

The room was loud and full of people, all dressed in the loudest and ugliest christmas themed apparel Yennefer could imagine. 

Herself included; unfortunately. 

She glared at anyone who stared too long at the ugly green sweater with bright yellow garland sewn all the way around it, with it’s shiny red balls that hung from the material, jingling with every step she took.

She'd outright refused the monstrosity when Rosie had held it out to her; till her nephew had gotten teary eyed at the refusal of what was apparently his hand picked gift. 

So, now she was wearing it. 

She drew the line at the Santa hat, instead pushing it down over the toddlers curly locks, making him giggle.

She held Steven in her arm, tucked against her shoulder as her sister and assistant chatted, scanning the room for Belle. A red envelope held in her left hand. A sudden part in the crowd and those platinum locks came into view.

“Here. I’ll be back in a minute.” She handed Steven over to his mother before walking off through the crowd, jingling all the way, much to her annoyance.

She was halfway there, envelope in hand, only to be intercepted by her mother.

“Yennefer, this is for you, my dear.” She handed over a thin rectangle wrapped in blinding silver paper. “I had the good luck to draw you as my secret Santa.” The older woman smiled and Yennefer cocked a brow in silent question as to what about that was lucky, but it also made her wonder what poor bastard had gotten her mother if she was participating.

She pulled the wrapping off to find a gilded silver frame with a photo of no one else but her mother, dressed in the gaudiest grande dame outfit she could have ever imagined, complete with the boa, and all she could do was squint at it while Whitney beamed.

“What do you think, my dear? Lovely, isn’t it? I thought you might put it in your office at home.” She tapped the frame with a long, manicured nail.

“Thank you, mother,” was the best Yennefer could muster in response to the gift, not that it was completely without question, given the older woman’s history in the gift department. All things considered, she had gotten off easy. 

“Oh. My. God.” 

Suddenly her sister’s bright pink head was looking over her shoulder at the photo, Steven held in her arms. “What is that?” she asked, completely gobsmacked.

“Your sister’s Christmas present,” Whitney huffed, glaring at her youngest.

There was a tense moment before Rosie turned to her and with the most serious face she could muster said- “I’m sorry.” 

She couldn’t stop the grin that followed that statement, especially when Whitney turned on the youngest.

“What exactly do you mean by that?!” she huffed.

Yennefer quickly walked away as the two began to bicker, there would be plenty of that till New Year’s. She scanned the crowd for a shock of platinum white hair. Finding it, she squared her shoulders and walked purposefully across the room. 

She stopped just behind her as Belle turned, jumping at the blondes sudden presence, smiled nonetheless. 

“Yennefer! Merry Christmas, I didn’t see you much last week. I went to your office last Friday and your assistant said you were out.” 

“I did most of my work at home since my sister is staying with me till after Christmas,” she explained her absence. 

“Oh, here I thought you were avoiding me…” 

“Of course not!” Yennefer quickly said, making Belle’s eyes widen before she laughed happily.

“I was only teasing you,” she assured, laying a hand on the blonde’s forearm. Yennefer could feel her neck burning. A reoccuring theme whenever she was in the executive’s presence. “What do you have there?” She tilted her head, noticing her mother’s gift.

Now her whole face was red.

“My mother was my secret Santa..,” she grumbled, presenting the photo to the now wide-eyed woman. 

“Oh my..,” she started. “That’s… lovely?” She didn’t seem too sure. Yennefer sighed heavily.

“No, it isn't, but this is on par for her,” she mumbled quietly so only the two of them could hear. 

“I see.” She giggled and Yennefer smirked before remembering the reason for coming over.

“This is for you.” She held out a red envelope.

“For me?” Belle repeated, taking the envelope with her name written on it in smooth, blocky script. 

“I was your secret Santa,” she explained, trying not to fidget under the seemingly intense cornflower stare.

“Oh!” She looked back down at the envelope, testing it in her hands. “Thank you, Yennefer,” she said as she pulled open the flap and reached inside, her fingers wrapping around two slips of paper.

She pulled them out and looked curiously at whatever it was and after a moment her eyes went wide, head whipping up to look at Yennefer.

“Rent tickets, how did you…?” she didn’t know what else to say.

“I know someone…” She shrugged. “Merry Christmas, Belle.” 

“I… thank you, Yennefer.” She smiled so prettily up at her, Yennefer had to give herself a mental shake, thus cueing her to go.

"You're welcome, have a good time."

“Wait, Yennefer…” Belle started just as she turned to go but whatever she was going to say was cut off by a small but high pitched voice.

“Yen!” 

They both turned to look, just in time to see a little boy with curly black hair in a Santa hat come running across the room straight into Yennefer's knees.

"Pick me up?" He looked up at her with wide eyes and held up his arms.

Not one to disappoint him, she reached down and pulled him up, saddling him against her hip. 

"Ohh..."

They both looked up at the coo. Belle was staring at the little boy with wide eyes, even more so when he saw her and tucked his face into his aunt's shoulder.

“Hello,” Belle smiled.

"Don't be rude." Yennefer gave him a nudge. He peeked up at her before looking at Belle.

"Hi.." he said shyly.

"You must be Steven." Belle leaned down, smiling at the boy. He turned to face her better.

"Yeah!" He grinned and Belle couldn't help but return it.

"Your aunt told me a bit about you, you know. She thinks you're very impressive," she said and he looked awed by that before looking up at the obviously embarrassed VP with starry eyes and smiling brightly. 

"Yes, well… We need to get you back to your mother." Yennefer cleared her throat, turning away.

"Wait just one second, Yennefer." She reached out, laying a hand on the blonde’s shoulder before she could walk away.

She turned, half way around, waiting as Belle seemed to think about what she was going to say, biting her lip.

“Considering that we’re both theatre fans, perhaps you’d like to go with me. To see the show?” she asked, pushing a few strands of white hair behind her ear. 

Yennefer knew her face was red if the heat coming off it was anything to go by.

“Like..” she floundered for words, only for Belle to beat her to it. 

“Like a date,” she finished, looking more amused than anyone had any right to be, despite the color spreading across her own face.. 

“Yes,” she managed to spit out even though her mouth felt like it was full of sand.

“Great! Well, I have an early flight to Ireland in the morning; I need to be going, but I’ll see you when I get back?” she asked.

Yennefer nodded and Belle only smiled in reply before she turned to go. She watched her move through the sea of their coworkers before she was out of sight.

“Oooh, who was that?” 

She jumped, turning to find her sister giving her a shit-eating grin, and her face burned even hotter. 

“None of your concern,” she scowled, handing Steven over as he held his arms out for his mother.

“She was pretty…” Rosie teased, looking where Belle had vanished before turning back to her. 

“Unless you want to stay with mother, I suggest you drop it..,” she warned with a glare.

“Touchy… fine, have it your way.” She waved, walking back toward the refreshment table with Steven in tow. 

Once she was gone did Yennefer allow herself to glance back into the crowd, but a small flash of light caught her eye.

Laying on the floor, just peeking out from beneath the dessert table was a small silver pendant with a blue, diamond shaped charm that she immediately recognized. She scooped it up, the fine silver chain still warm against her skin as she walked quickly toward the elevator. 

The tiny bells of her sweater monstrosity jingling rapidly as she maneuvered through the throng of people; who unlike any other day were not so quick to get the hell out of her way. 

“Belle!” she called, just as the elevator doors were about to slide shut. Her hand slipping into the crack just in time to make them slide back open, to the executive’s surprise. 

“What, what’s wrong?” She blinked up at the blonde. 

Instead of saying anything she simply held out her hand, revealing the necklace laying in her palm. Belle gasped, grabbing the delicate jewelry.

“My necklace!” She held it in her closed fist, pressed to her chest and looked up at Yennefer.

“It was on the floor,” she explained simply. 

“My father gave me this,” she said quietly. “Thank you.” 

She said it so sincerely that all Yennefer could manage was a nod.

“You’re welcome,” she mumbled. 

Belle was looking up at her but her eyes seemed to be drawn to something just above Yennefer’s head; she chewed her bottom lip. 

Before Yennefer could ask her what she was looking at the other woman practically lunged forward, pressing her lips to the stunned VP’s cheek.

Yennefer could only stand there, slack jawed, staring at the the red-faced but smiling Belle as she stepped back, allowing the doors to slide closed this time, leaving her staring at her beet- red, faced reflection. 

A whistle made her whip around to find her sister, Steven still in her arms, grinning at her. She only flushed harder as Rosie pointed upward and she glanced up to find that someone had hung a sprig of mistletoe in the frame of the elevator.

“Maybe you’ll have a second aunt before you know it, honey,” Roise said to her son with a smug grin as he looked at her, wide eyed.

“Rosie!”

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Holidays all  
> special thanks to t_hanson for all the editing work she did for me.  
> So, if this reads much smoother then usual, thank her.


End file.
